


Whiskey and Eggnog

by briony8969



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-11 00:23:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17436323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/briony8969/pseuds/briony8969
Summary: Adora brings her two new college friends back to her Kentucky hometown for Christmas. She's nervous about what they'll think, but mostly she's nervous about seeing her childhood best friend Catra after a few months of silence.





	Whiskey and Eggnog

The air was so cold in the parking lot behind Taco Bell that Catra’s fingers began to go numb as she scrolled through her instagram feed. She hadn’t thought to grab her coat before she sped out of the miserable, greasy kitchen for her smoke break, so now her only protection was the long sleeved t-shirt they allowed her to wear under her work polo. Catra didn’t smoke, but she pretended she did because because her chain smoking night supervisor gave extra breaks to people who said they needed a cigarette. The tip of her nose began to go numb. She toughed it out.

Her instagram feed mostly featured her friends' cat photos and a few WWE wrestlers that she liked, but she paused at the sight of a familiar blonde ponytail and bright blue eyes.

“Can’t wait to get home for the holidays!” Adora had written under a cheerfully festive selfie. Adora sat in the driver's seat, and a very cute short girl with arty pink hair leaned in from the passenger side. A laughing handsome black boy made a peace sign from the back of the car. He wore a sweater with their dumb college logo on it. He had probably spent 40 dollars on that shit. 

“Hey bitch, you coming back to town for Xmas?” Catra typed into her phone, but paused before pressing send. A quick scroll through their last few texts showed Adora’s brief and non-conversational responses to her texts for the past three months. They hadn’t spoken in over two weeks. Catra bit her cheek and erased the text, embarrassed at her own hurt feelings. 

“Catra!” Her manager called from the back door of the restaurant. “DO YOU SEE THE DRIVE THROUGH LINE!?!? GET YOUR ASS IN HERE!” 

In the few minutes she’d been sitting outside the cars waiting for the drive through had stretched from one or two to a line extending almost all the way out into the street. The air had thickened with exhaust fumes cut through by headlight beams.

“On my way.” Catra growled, sauntering at exactly her usual speed back into the kitchens. Normally when Taco Bell hired one of the just out of high school girls they put her on cash register, leaving the kitchen for the less well groomed teenage boys. Catra had lasted about a half hour on register before the store's customer service rating on yelp went down a full point, so her bosses quickly relocated her to the kitchens.

Her phone remained in her back pocket the rest of the shift. She didn’t get any texts.

~*~

Glimmer and Bow managed to talk, almost without a break, for the full 4 and half hour drive to Adora’s hometown. Adora preferred their chatter to the Christmas songs on the radio, but since Glimmer refused to let her turn OFF the Christmas songs, choosing instead to SPEAK OVER the music, the whole drive had been a little high decibel.

“Glimmer, are you checking for your grades again!? The semester hasn’t even been over 24 hours yet.” Bow asked, laughing at Glimmer, who flushed and locked her phone.

“Ugh, I just want to KNOW HOW I DID ON MY ESSAYS.” Glimmer groaned, settling into a deep pout. 

“Give your professors a break!” Bow said, “Chill!”

Adora smiled as she pulled off into her exit. 

“Your mom text?” She asked.

Glimmer narrowed her eyes at her.

“Adora. I told you. Mom said it was totally cool if I spent Christmas with you this year. She loved hosting you for Thanksgiving and she said it was totally fine if I visited you.”

“Ha, yeah.” Adora gulped. The idea of having her two, fairly new, rich best friends over at her house had seemed like such a good idea a month ago when Glimmer had suggested it, but the realities of hosting two big personalities like them in her small Kentucky hometown felt less and less feasible the closer she got to it.

Adora only passed her driving test two weeks before she left for college; she gripped the steering wheel tight and squinted at each road sign flickering past in the darkness.

“Aren’t you, like, from here?” Bow asked, noticing Adora’s tense posture.

“Yeah, definitely.” Adora tried to laugh off her nerves. The further they got away from the highway the more familiar everything looked. She drove past the drive through liquor store that she and Catra had used to make fun of so much when they were little. Like, how does that NOT encourage drunk driving?

The thought of Catra sent a little surge of guilt up her spine, but at the same time excitement. She loved Catra after all, and it had been way too long since they hung out. She just, after these few months away, felt nervous about it. So much had changed. Back in school she’d tried to talk Catra into taking out some student loans and joining her at college, but Catra wouldn’t be swayed. Her scholarships hadn’t come through, and she wasn’t going into six figure debt for some fucking piece of paper. Adora had earned a full ride on a sports and academic scholarship, so she couldn’t really say much to Catra about the financial side of it.

Glimmer took in the badly faded road lines, the lack of reliable street lights, and the abundance of fast food box restaurants that hadn’t been updated since 1997. She glanced back at Bow, who met her gaze with raised eyebrows. 

“Well, best friend squad, welcome to Kentucky!” Adora announced.

~*~

Scorpia, Catra’s tall, mohawked, and overwhelmingly friendly manager, slipped Catra a print-out party invite during their morning shift. 

“You have to come!” Scorpia shout-whispered to her new friend, the only other employee stuck on the taco bell breakfast shift. It was about 9am, too early for taco eaters, too late for office workers desperately grabbing a breakfast Crunchwrap on their morning commute. 

Catra looked like she was about to fall asleep on a pile of tortillas. Scorpia wanted to pinch her cute, angry little cheeks. 

“Oh do I?” Catra asked. 

“it’ll be super fun! Everybody from work is coming!”

“Even Kevin?”

“I mean it’s not like Kevin has any other parties to go to.” Scorpia said.

“I don’t want to go to a party Kevin’s at.” Catra said. But her tone had shifted a little bit towards joking. Scorpia could tell she was getting somewhere.

“Oh come on! There’s gonna be cookies!”

“Are we 5?”

“And… jello shots! Maybe? Wait, how old are you?”

Catra didn’t say anything but her half smile started to spread into a full one. She was about to answer when the door squeaked open in its obnoxious way announcing the arrival of a customer. She began to slip back towards the kitchens, away from the hell of speaking to a stranger, when she heard her name.

“CATRA! Oh my god I hoped you’d be here!” 

Catra’s eyes widened at the familiar voice, and she slowly turned, with visible horror, towards her friend Adora flanked by two strangers.

“Oh my gosh, Catra, you have friends!?” Scorpia asked with honest delight and surprise. 

Adora stood with a wide smile next to the two oddballs Catra recognized from instagram. Catra noted with relief that while the newcomers seemed to be committed to a sort of sparkly pastel aesthetic style, Adora still looked about the same. She wore her usual t-shirt and cheap jeans combo with her hair pulled up in a high ponytail. 

“Adora. What the fuck.” Catra growled. 

“We were just in the area and I thought, you know what? I would KILL for a garbage taco bell breakfast.” Adora grinned, but her eyes met Catra’s searching for approval. 

“I have a phone you know. You don’t have to subject yourself to…” She sort of gestured to the entire restaurant. “This.” 

“I WOULD LIKE YOUR FINEST AND CHEAPEST BREAKFAST BURRITO PLEASE.” The young man standing by Adora announced with a charming smile. “My name is Bow. This is Glimmer. Adora’s told us all about you!”

“No way, is your name actually Glimmer?” Scorpia asked with an excited gasp. “That’s amazing! I have a silly name too! It’s Scorpia!”

“That’s… that’s great!” Glimmer laughed. She eyed Catra and Adora back and forth trying to figure out what exact vibe was going on between them. She couldn’t quite tell, but it was intense.

Catra and Adora continued to stare at one another like there was no-one else in the room. 

“I’ll go back and make you one.” Catra said, finally addressing Bow but not looking at him. “What do you want, steak or chicken?” 

“Um… which is less awful?” He asked.

“Another restaurant.” Catra replied without missing a beat. 

Bow laughed. “You know what, go big or go home. I’ll take steak! Glimmer, what do you want?”

“What’s a crunch… wrap?” Glimmer asked, clearly overwhelmed by the backlit menu board hanging from the ceiling. 

“It’s life changing. You should get it.” Adora said. She walked up closer to the counter. “I’ll have one of them too.” Her eyes followed Catra as her friend slipped behind the barrier into the kitchens. 

“You one of Catra’s high school friends?” Scorpia asked as she typed the order in. 

“Yeah actually. I’d say best friend.” Adora said, scrambling to pull her wallet out of her purse. 

“Cool!” Scorpia cheerfully took Adora’s debit card and handed her back a printed invitation, decked out with little jingle bells in the margins. “I’m having a party at my condo tomorrow night, and any friend of Catra’s is welcome to come! And friends of friend's of Catra’s! Please come!”

Adora stared at the cheerful font on the invite and desperately tried to come up with an excuse not to go. Bow, snatched it out of her hands before she could say anything.

“DONE! See you there Scorpia. Which, by the way, is a lovely name. It’s a constellation right?” Bow asked.

“I don’t know! My mom just really likes Scorpions!” Scorpia replied with enthusiasm. 

Adora kept trying to get a peek back into the kitchens, and let out an exhale in relief when Catra came out with their order herself instead of just sending it to the front. 

Catra noticed the invitation right away and dropped her arms to her sides in resignation, letting out a little irritated groan.

“Scorpia, did you for real just…”

“Invite your friends to my party? I DID! And they said yes! And now you have to come because they won’t know anybody if you don’t.” Scorpia announced, exuding smugness.

Catra let out a deep, long suffering sigh and walked over to Adora, handing her her warm paper bag of Mexican-adjacent breakfast food. 

“You going to go to this party?” She asked.

“Uh… looks like it.” Adora said, noticing that Catra hadn’t yet let go of the bag.

“We should catch up then, I guess.” Catra said, tone indecipherable. “It’s been a while.” 

“Yeah.” Adora said. “We should.”

Catra was about to disappear again behind the counter when Adora leaned over and asked, softly “Hey Catra! We’re good, right?” 

“Sure.” Catra turned around and gave a little shrug. “We’re fine.” 

With that she swept back into the kitchens, leaving Adora with less confidence in their relationship status then she had been when she walked in the doors. 

~*~

Adora nearly got lost in the winding and unnecessarily complicated parking lots of Scorpia’s apartment complex. The buildings were an ugly light shade of brick which was common in the 1970s, and Scorpia’s apartment was in a weird little alcove way off to the back. 

“So, uh, y’all ready for a real Kentucky house party?” Adora asked, staring grimly at the festive and flickering lights strung around Scorpia’s doorway.

“I have never been more ready for anything in my life.” Bow said, eyes already wide in excitement. He wore an ironic Christmas sweater with a t-rex wearing a Santa hat on it that actually lit up if you pressed a button on the cuff. 

Glimmer, dressed somewhat more somberly in a dark Burgundy dress with gray striped leggings, smiled at Adora with encouragement.

“This is going to be great!” She smiled and squeezed her friend’s hand for reassurance. Adora smiled gratefully at Glimmer. She’d never met somebody so unabashedly hopeful and optimistic. Hand in hand they approached the entrance. The muffled but unmistakeable refrain of “Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer” thrummed audibly through the door.

“Oh Jesus Christ…” Adora muttered, but it was too late, they were already in.

A white plastic Christmas tree covered in hot pink and sparkly baubles stood somewhat crookedly in the corner of the small, overly crowded apartment space. A pretty dark skinned girl sat next to a slim pale white boy on a couch in the corner, arguing over which Netflix Christmas movie to put on. Three people huddled near the door arguing over whether it was too early to go outside and vape. One girl was dressed as an angel for no discernible reason, and seemed to be chatting with a dude much much older than her. Over it all the shrill, horrific twang of “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” blared without cease.

“CATRA’S FRIENDS! YOU CAME!” The booming and cheerful voice of Scorpia rang out from the kitchen. She emerged holding a bottle of Southern Comfort and wearing a pair of Rudolph antlers that lit up.

At that, Catra prowled out from the hallway. She wore her usual flannel shirt over a white tank top and skinny fit jeans. Adora, for reasons she could not fully explain, felt her breath hitch. 

Bow didn’t notice, because just as Catra stepped out he clocked about three dozen sugar cookies, tinged with burn around the edges, sitting on the kitchen table near an array of different colored frostings, candies, and brightly dyed sugars. He glanced at Scorpia, almost too excited to speak. 

“Can… can I?” He asked, gesturing towards the table. 

“Decorate cookies!? You bet!” Scorpia grinned broadly. 

“YUSSSSS” Bow skid over to the table immediately. Glimmer followed him with a laugh. 

“If y’all don’t mind I’m going to uh, catch up with Catra for a bit…” Adora mumbled.

“Dude go for it!” Glimmer gave Adora two thumbs up. “I’m going to make the cutest goddamn cookies you’ve ever seen in your life.”

“MINE’LL BE CUTER!” Bow challenged.

“Psh… ok!” Glimmer struggled to tie on an apron which was way too big for her and decorated with little gingerbread men. Once she had it secured she and Bow both reached for the pink glitter sugar at the same time, hands bumping against one another. They met eyes. “Bring it on!” Glimmer growled.

Adora walked sheepishly over to Catra, who offered her an eggnog in a red solo cup. A hastily labeled “eggnog station” on the kitchen island featured eggnog, milk for cutting it, rum, whiskey, and tinned nutmeg for garnish.

“Is there uh…” Adora didn’t want to seem like a square but she also didn’t want to drink spiked eggnog underage at a party where she didn’t know anybody.

“It’s just nog, Jesus.” Catra rolled her blue and green eyes. “Miss goody good.” 

Adora made a face.

“Hey, remember that time we drank a whole six pack of Mike’s Hard lemonade at Sharon’s cousin’s house and snuck onto the train tracks?” Adora whispered.

“And you freaked out and almost called the cops? Yeah I remember.”

“That is not true!” Adora protested. “That was Kevin!” 

“Oh… oh yeah you’re right.” Catra laughed her little raspy laugh and then took another sip of eggnog. “Dang this is good.” She muttered.

“You’re such a weirdo.” Adora said with a laugh, watching as Catra licked the cream mustache from her top lip.

Catra shrugged and leaned against one of the cabinets. Scorpia’s small kitchen didn’t leave them much space, and Adora felt a little flushed and warm.

“I’ve missed you.” She said, then shut up immediately because Catra wasn’t mushy like that. 

“You don’t have to say that.” Catra replied, expression darkening somewhat. “Just because that’s what you’re supposed to say.”

“No, I mean, I totally missed you.” Adora repeated.

Catra paused for a minute before responding. 

“Your new friends seem really great.” She said. “Much more goody goody. Much more your speed.” Catra glanced over to the cookie decorating table, where Glimmer’s wonky Christmas tree cookie was making Bow cry with laughter.

“Well…” Adora couldn’t help but smile as she looked at them. “Dude, Bow and Glimmer are great and all but…” She looked back at Catra’s freckled, familiar face. Bow and Glimmer hadn’t known her through her weird horse phase in fourth grade. They hadn’t held her hand when she was sobbing on the bleachers after dislocating her knee at track and field. They hadn’t snuggled together under a Lion King comforter at a tween slumber party, and she hadn’t finally gone to sleep to the calming rhythm of their soft purring snores. It was too much to put into words.

Catra met Adora’s gaze through her silence, and for a second Adora thought she was right there with her. But it only lasted a second; her expression went back to her usual nonchalant coolness and she twirled around to toss her solo cup in the trash.

“It’s hot in here.” She said. “I’m going outside.”

“Uh, ok.” Adora replied. She wasn’t sure if she was invited to join but she tagged along behind Catra anyway, sipping her drink nervously. 

Scorpia’s condo provided every resident a small, fenced-in courtyard outside, and Catra slipped out the glass sliding door quietly, holding it open for Adora behind her. A purple haired girl wearing cool jeans and a headset slipped inside while the door was open.

“Hey, just a heads up,” the girl said, pointing up above the courtyard. A large sprig of mistletoe, probably some of the fake type you can buy at Michael’s, hung from a bird-feeder. “If some dude tries to talk you into going back here it might be to pull some bullshit.”

Catra and Adora both swallowed nervously and avoided eye contact. 

“God, Scorpia totally would have mistletoe at her fucking Christmas party” Catra grumbled, shutting the door after the purple haired girl and stepping as far back from the mistletoe as possible.

“Scorpia seems nice.” Adora said, hugging her arms to fend off the chill. “You’re too mean to her.” She sat down on an old, very dirty deck chair next to a struggling garden. 

Catra just scoffed. 

“Do you think she might like you?” Adora asked. Catra narrowed her blue and green eyes in irritation. Adora just pointed up to the mistletoe with a shrug. “I don’t know, seemed like she really wanted you to come.” 

“Do you see those freaks in there?” Catra pointed to the condo, where through the sliding door you could see a mustachioed man standing up on a chair, apparently about to burst into song. “She’s not exactly discriminating over who begs to come to parties.” Catra replied. 

“I don’t know… I got a vibe.” Adora said. They were almost back to their normal friendship cadence, the way they used to banter back when they were around each other basically 24/7.

“You? Got a vibe? Adora.” Catra leaned over her seated friend. “Adora, you couldn’t pick up on a vibe if it hit you with a fucking two by four.” 

“Oh yeah?” Adora stood up with a wicked smile and sort of scampered directly underneath the mistletoe. “What’s this then? Miss ‘I’m so good at picking up vibes.’” 

“What? Is that a vibe? Are you sending me a vibe right now?” Catra slowly walked over to Adora, who remained firmly planted beneath the mistletoe. She paused when she and Adora were just inches apart, staring directly into each other’s eyes with defiance. 

“What… What do you think?” Adora said, voice only wavering a little bit. 

Catra, so quickly that it took Adora by surprise, pulled Adora up to her hips with a hand on her lower back. Before Adora could react she found herself pressing her mouth against her friend’s, oh, so very soft lips, and melting into her arms. Catra was so small and wiry that Adora almost felt like there was nothing to hold onto, but the strength of her embrace was comforting. The kiss lasted longer than either of them intended for it to, but as soon as Catra pulled back Adora just wanted to pull her back in again.

“Whoa.” Catra said, looking cute and flustered, her somewhat bushy brown hair looking a little messy.

“Uh, nice.” Adora said, and immediately regretted it. Who says “nice?” What was wrong with her?! She clammed up. 

Catra gave a little smirk, and removed her hand from Adora’s back. 

“You know, this doesn’t mean I like you, you know.” 

Adora rolled her eyes.

“Cool, yeah, sure, you don’t like me at all.” She said.

“I don’t.” Catra put her hands in her pockets and started to head back over to the door.

“Fine.” Adora said. “Merry fucking Christmas, Catra.” 

Catra turned around with a little eyebrow raise.

“Come inside with me, it’s cold out here, idiot.” 

It was as close as Adora was going to get to an expression of care, and so with a little sigh the blonde woman swept back inside the party with her friend, leaving the mistletoe and the porch for the next party-goer to stumble upon.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so I obviously intended to finish this before Christmas, but uh that didn't happen. I hope you enjoyed it anyway! Thank you for reading!


End file.
